Ducks with Umbrellas
by Doneril
Summary: I’ve had Blanky as long as I can remember. Sometimes I think that maybe my parents gave it to me." Harry Potter lives in a cupboard under the stairs.


_I want my Blanky._

Blanky is yellow and Blanky has ducks with umbrellas on it. Dudley laughs at me and says it's a girl's blanket. I told him that Blanky is mine and I'm not a girl. He pushed me over.

_Blanky is mine! I'm not a girl!_

I hit the ground, hard. My arm hit a rock and it hurts. But I dropped Blanky and Dudley grabbed it. He took my Blanky.

_Give it back! Blanky's mine! You have your own!_

Dudley has more blankets than I do. He has them all over his bed and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia buy him lots. He has four with Transformers on them. Four! And he has one with Pound Puppies that Aunt Marge bought him. She said one of the puppies looks like Ripper, but Dudley hides it in the cupboard unless Aunt Marge is visiting. Dudley has a blue one and a red one and a green one and one with Superman.

_Give it back!_

He doesn't need Blanky! Blanky is mine. In the winter, I wrap myself in Blanky at night when I'm sleeping in my cupboard. Blanky keeps me warm. In the summer, Blanky covers my mattress and makes it softer. I wash Blanky with my other clothes when Aunt Petunia isn't looking. Blanky keeps the spiders away and hides my electric torch.

_I want Blanky back!_

I've had Blanky as long as I can remember. Sometimes I think that maybe my parents gave it to me. Even if Uncle Vernon says that Mum and Dad were drunk and it was their own fault, I'm sad they aren't here. If they gave me Blanky, I'd like that. Then, maybe, they'd still be here, even if I'm living in the cupboard.

_Give!_

I tried to grab Blanky back from Dudley, getting on my knees and pulling. It was a tug of war over Blanky. I kicked him in the shins. He fell down in the mud, splashing us. But I had Blanky! Then Dudley screamed for Aunt Petunia.

_Yes, Aunt Petunia. But – Yes, Aunt Petunia. I didn't mean to hurt him, Aunt Petunia. Yes, Aunt Petunia, we fought over Blanky. Yes – but Blanky! **Blanky!**_

Aunt Petunia put me in my cupboard. She told me I needed to be punished. I know better than to ask her why I'm being punished. I don't want Uncle Vernon to spank me again after supper. Once was enough. And I know I'm not supposed to push or kick other people. But people aren't supposed to take other people's stuff, right? So we were both wrong… But Dudley got chocolate cake and I got my cupboard.

_I want Blanky_.

I sat in my cupboard for a long time. It was dark. Uncle Vernon needs to change the light bulb again and I can't wait until I'm big enough to do it myself. There are spiders and there was no Blanky to keep them away. I could hear them moving on the walls and feel them on my mattress. I wish I had some of Dudley's picture books in my cupboard, even the ones he doesn't want. I'd like to see the pictures of the rescued princesses. I always like it when I can listen to Aunt Petunia reads the Cinderella story to Dudley.

_Where's Blanky?_

Aunt Petunia unlocked my cupboard. She told me to stop being so lazy and to help her. Dudley was taking his nap and I needed to be quiet. I asked her where Blanky was, even though I'm not supposed to ask questions. She told me that if I couldn't be nice, I couldn't have Blanky.

_No Blanky?!_

Aunt Petunia told me she threw Blanky away. She put Blanky in the bins by the road and I couldn't have Blanky anymore.

_No Blanky._

I helped Aunt Petunia with the chores. I cleaned Dudley's second bedroom. I set the table for supper. I helped clean the lounge. Aunt Petunia woke Dudley from his nap and he watched the telly until Uncle Vernon came home. Then we had supper and I had some even though I was punished and asked questions. After supper, Uncle Vernon sent me to put out the night's trash.

_Blanky!_

When I set out the rubbish bins, I snuck Blanky out and brought Blanky back to my cupboard. I can't let Aunt Petunia know that I took Blanky back. I'll be punished again and she'll take away Blanky and I will never ever have Blanky again. I can't sneak Blanky into the wash anymore. What if Aunt Petunia finds it?

_My Blanky._

I wrap myself in Blanky as I fall asleep and Blanky keeps the spiders away. It smells like fish and tea leaves, but I don't care. I have Blanky.


End file.
